Minutes_Library Board of Trustees 4 23 15 Carnegie-Stout Public Library
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes of April 23, 2015
The Board of Trustees of the Carnegie-Stout Public Library (C-SPL) met in the
Lacy Board Room at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, 2015.
Present: President Mike Willis; Board Secretary Dan Boice; Trustee
Angella Allred; Trustee Paula Connors; Trustee Patty Poggemiller
(entered at 4:36 p.m.); Trustee Jon Trotter; Director Susan
Henricks, and Recorder Denette Kellogg.
Excused: Board Vice President Jenny Weiss
Public Present: Thomas Barton, Telegraph Herald Reporter, Dubuque, Iowa
1. President Mike Willis called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. and the agenda
was adopted.
"Moved to adopt the meeting agenda of Thursday, April 23, 2015,
with the addition of swearing in new Trustee Angella Allred. "
Motion: Connors
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye —4; Nay— 0
Willis then swore in Trustee Angella Allred who will complete the last year of the
term expiring July 2016, previously held by John Anderson-Bricker.
2. Approval of Library Board of Trustees' Minutes of Wednesday, April 1, 2015.
"Moved to approve the Board Minutes of Wednesday, April 1, 2015,
with clarification of the last sentence of the motion on Page 6, Action Item
G. Library Hours, to read "the City's promise that it will recommend fully
funding at 64 hours in M7' "
Motion: Trotter
Second: Connors
Vote: Aye — 4; Nay— 0;Abstain —Allred(was not yet on the
Library Board)
3. Board President's Report:
A. Communication with Dubuque City Council for April 2015.
"Moved to receive and file the Communication with the Dubuque
City Council from Wednesday, April 1, 2015. "
Motion: Connors
Second: Trotter
Vote: Aye —5; Nay— 0
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4. Motion to Receive and File Informational Items:
A. Library Director's Report Summary and Update: Henricks provided a
written summary on the following topics to the Library Board with
additional comments:
1) Library Financial Report Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) — Henricks
reported the close of March ends the third quarter of the Fiscal
Year and 75% of the year lapsed. Expenditures were at 68% and
revenue collected was at 82% of projections.
2) Library Use Statistics — Henricks reported that the only increase
seen in library use is in database usage and digital media.
Freegal has gained popularity and its use has increased 141%
compared to the same time last year. eBooks and eAudio check
outs have increased nearly 23% compared to the same time last
year. Henricks informed the Board that the circulation software,
Koha, has the ability to add photographs to patron accounts.
Patron advantage of having a picture of the patron with their
account is increased security and the ability to check out
materials if a card or ID has been forgotten. The advantage to
the library is in providing more evidence to the police in the event
of theft. After discussion, the Board agreed to have pictures of
patrons added to Koha, but stressed that this is optional and not
a requirement of getting a library card.
3) Personnel Update — Henricks reported that funding to restore the
library hours to 61 results in the ability to hire 5 part-time people.
With the exception of Library Clerks, the hours for new
employees is set at 17 weekly. When library hours are increased
to 64, the hours of the new hires will increase to 20 weekly.
Interviews have been completed for the Library Aide at the
Recommendations Desk and a candidate has been offered the
part-time position. Two library clerks who were cross-trained as
Library Assistants have been promoted to Library Assistant,
leaving three vacancies for clerks. Advertising for these positions
had just been completed and recommendations for hire will be
made next week. Connors questioned when the restoration of
hours would begin. Henricks stated that this could begin as soon
as May 4, 2015 if existing staff assists to cover clerk duties.
Connors stated that promoting within the library does not solve
the staff shortage problem by May 4 and expressed concern for
current staff being able to cover all the duties. Connors
questioned if the Librarian I position had been filled. Henricks
responded that this position has been filled and an offer for the
part-time readers' advisory position has also been extended.
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4) Hours Update — Henricks reported that Library hours may be
restored as soon as May 4. New signs reflecting the 61 hours
have been ordered. The Board agreed to restore the hours to 61
per week effective May 4, if enough on-call staff is available to fill
in until new employees are in place. The new hours will be
Monday through Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday,
Noon to 8:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
B. Library Comment Cards Received —The Board reviewed the three
comment cards received and concurred with the responses.
"Moved to receive and file the informational update from the
Library Director including the Library Financial Report FY15, Library
Use Statistics, Personnel Update, Hours update, and Library Comment
Cards."
Motion: Connors
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye —5; Nay— 0
5. Action Items:
A. Marketing Plan Proposal — Henricks provided the Board with examples
of how Carnegie-Stout Public Library's (C-SPL) materials budget
compares to other peer libraries in Iowa. Henricks also asked the
directors of these libraries if they had a Marketing and Public Relations
specialist on staff, and a few did. The Board concurred on the need
for greater resources dedicated to marketing and discussed the
possibility of a current staff member adding marketing to their current
position, as opposed to an outside person coming in and sitting with
staff to determine what areas of marketing should be given focus.
After discussion, the Board requested that Henricks review the
organizational chart to determine if it could be restructured to create
funding for a marketing person, discuss with the other peer libraries
how they are measuring their marketing success, and report back next
month.
Poggemiller entered the meeting at 4:36 p.m.
B. Library Satellite —The Board discussed the feedback they have
received from community members about the library satellite. There
was a consensus that it may be better to pursue a library levy before
opening a satellite. The Board agreed that educating the public on
library levies and gaining the support of community leaders will be
necessary to have a library levy passed. The Board reiterated that
library service to the west side of the community remains a part of the
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library's strategic plan and requested that the Relations Committee
identify the next steps in this process.
"Moved to authorize Henricks to contact the architect and the
property owners of properties the Board looked at to tell them the
Board will not be moving forward with the library satellite at this time. "
Motion: Connors
Second. Boice
Vote: Aye — 6; Nay— 0
C. Heade Painting — Willis reported that the agreement with James
Maroney and Debra Force to sell the Heade painting will soon expire
and asked if the Board would like to extend the contract for another
three years. Currently, the painting is insured and in storage with
Maroney and Force, in hopes that the art market will rebound. If the
painting sold, these funds would replenish the gift trusts that were
expended for the renovation under the agreement with the City. The
Board discussed options that included extending the contract for
another three years and leaving the painting in storage, returning it to
the library for display, and placing the painting with another gallery or
broker.
"Moved to authorize Henricks to contact James Maroney and
Debra Force to request extending the consignment agreement for one
year. "
Motion: Boice
Second: Connors
Vote: Aye — 6; Nay— 0
D. Personnel Handbook —The Board discussed the Personnel Handbook
revisions that have been made to include the City's new Code of Ethics
Policy. The Board requested that Henricks speak with City Manager
Mike Van Milligen to verify that the employee signature sheet that the
Board reviewed is sufficient, or if he wishes it to be a separate
document.
"Moved to adopt the changes in the Personnel Handbook if they
are approved by the City Manager."
Motion: Connors
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye — 6; Nay— 0
6. Communications/Public Comment — Adult Services Manager, Andrew Fuerste-
Henry, entered the meeting as a representative of the Iowa Library Association
(ILA) to tell the Board about the ILA Trustee Subdivision and the opportunity for
the Board Members to become more active in this subcommittee. Fuerste-Henry
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also informed the Board that the ILA will be meeting in Dubuque in October
2016.
7. Library Board Adjournment - The Board adjourned at 5:47 p.m.
"Motion to adjourn."
Motion: Poggemiller
Second., Trotter
Vote: Aye - 6; Nay— 0
Dan Boice, Board Secretary Date
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